Mums The Word
by Jynx999
Summary: When Cal tracks down his Mum there is a lot to take in and a lot of decisions to make. There isn't much time and Ethan remains unaware until the end. One shot based on the winter preview. Enjoy.


Cal stepped out of the little blue car nervously staring at the house about 10 meters away from him.

"Good luck." A voice behind him spoke gently.

"Thanks…" Cal spoke turning to look at Charlie who gave him a nod of encouragement.

Cal closed the car door and approached the house before knocking on the door composing himself for what was about to come. He couldn't remember ever feeling more nervous in his life, yet he was excited and absolutely terrified at the same time.

A man opened the door slowly looking at the men stood in front of him. "No cold callers thank you." He spoke quickly before going to close the door on him.

"No." Cal spoke and put his hand on the door stopping his from closing it. "I'm here to see Sylvia Wood."

"She isn't expecting visitors today." He told Cal.

"No… um. I need to speak to her. Please. I'm her son." Cal informed him.

The man then opened the door widely and looked Cal up and down. "You had better come in then."

Cal walked in and couldn't help but look around. It was strange, there were hand rails everywhere, what he recognised as a hoist rail was on the ceiling and something just felt odd it looked like an occupational therapist had a field day in this small house.

"Wait here, I will be back in a minute." The man explained and left Cal to take everything is as he disappeared. After a couple of minutes he welcomed Cal through to the front room.

A woman, who looked older than what she should have, wheeled herself slowly towards him to where she could see him and he could see her. She looked in pain, her face pale and nasal oxygen hung around her ears settling on her top lip. Her eyes were old and tired and as she sat her body would twitch ever so slightly every so often.

Cal stared at her, he had gone through so many scenarios in his head but this had not been one of them. In fact it was far from it.

The look on his face must have said it all as she slurred. "Should..sit..down…"

Cal nodded and sat down on the chair that was just to his left.

The man looked between them before smiling awkwardly. "I have things to do. I will just be upstairs if you need anything." He spoke before disappearing.

"Not…what…you…exected." The woman spoke slowly to make herself as clear as possible.

"You're ill." Cal spoke bluntly.

"H..huntingtons…" She told him. "It's..degenerative…killing…me…slowly.."

"I know what it is. I am a doctor." Cal spoke as a matter of fact slightly angry as he allowed everything to whizz around in his head.

"Wow…" She spoke clearly impressed. "You…have..questions?"

"I had a lot but now I have so many more. Like why did you put me up for adoption and why the hell haven't you contacted me? You know this condition can be passed on through genetics!? I could have had children unaware I could be passing this on!" He raised his voice suddenly thinking about how if Matilda had have been his what risk she would have been in, what risk he was currently in.

"I…couldn't…look…after…you." She told him. "They…said…I…was…Schizophrenic.."

"She didn't want to get rid out you." The man was back and stood in the door way. "You must understand that this was a difficult decision that she had to make. That we both had to make."

"What? Both?" Cal looked at him. "Are you my father?"

The man nodded. "I am yes. Your mother was initially diagnosed as being Schizophrenic and unsafe, when she wasn't it was the disease but we didn't find that until a few years later. By that time you and your brother would have been settled with a new family."

"Ethan…"Cal spoke. "His is my brother?"

He nodded. "He is yes, we did hope you would both still grow up together. You were only 18 months old, Ethan was only days old when we last saw you both."

Cal felt relieved at this, he was so glad that he and Ethan still had that bond but was now well aware that Ethan needed to know the truth.

"Where…is…Ethan…" Sylvia spoke.

"He's at work. We both work at Holby City ED. But he doesn't know about any of this. Our Mum, Matilda. She died two years ago, Cancer." He explained. "He was very close to her, I didn't want to upset him by telling him she wasn't my Mum."

"She…did…a…good…job." Sylvia looked directly into his eyes. "My…boys…doctors…"

Cal looked back into her eyes. All he could see was Ethan, the eyes were the same.

"No." Cal got to his feet. "Not your boys. She did do a good job yes, we both became doctors. But we're not your boys… I'm sorry but we're not."

"Caleb." His new found father spoke. "I'm sure you already know that we cannot allow her to get wound up. This will be taking a toll on her body. Why don't we go and talk about this and let Sylvia rest."

Cal looked at him he spoke with reason, much like Ethan. The problem solver it made him wonder if when his Mum was younger was she like Cal?

After being lead through to the kitchen Cal shook his head. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have come here."

"You should have. You have done the right thing, although keeping your brother in the loop would have been better." He told him. "I'm Mark by the way."

"I thought that he was probably biologically Mum's, he fit in so well with that family. I was always the black sheep. I didn't really think Ethan would be adopted too." Cal confessed. "I don't think I can tell him. I think it's best I just go now.."

"No. Your Mum, Sylvia. She hasn't got long left. She has pneumonia, it's getting worse and we think this may be it." Mark told him. "Please, let her meet Ethan at least."

Cal shook his head. "No, I'm sorry but no. Tell her goodbye from me. But this isn't going to work."

Cal then left quickly and almost ran down the street to where Charlie was parked. He got into the car and slammed the door staring into his lap breathing heavily.

"Cal?" Charlie started.

"Just take me home… please Charlie." Cal pleaded as he put his seat belt on.

Charlie didn't argue and drove the young doctor back but instead of taking to his and Ethan's shared flat he took him back to his.

"Thought you could do with talking without the chance of Ethan walking in." Charlie smiled gently as Cal turned his head to face him having calmed down and nodded.

Once in Charlie's modest home Cal sat on the sofa as Charlie made them both a coffee then placed one of the mugs in front of Cal.

"She has Huntington's…" Cal told him without even being prompted.

"I see…" Charlie nodded listening.

"That means me or Ethan have a 50% of having it too." He continued. "How selfish, she hadn't contacted us…"

"Ethan too?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, We're both adopted." Cal sighed.

"He needs to know Cal." Charlie spoke. "Now you've set the ball rolling it's better you tell him rather than letting her track him down."

"She looks so ill Charlie, but her eyes. They're Ethan's and our Dad's attitude, it's Ethan. While I was there that's all I could see in everything, it was him." Cal spoke although he was aware he was aware that h wasn't really making sense.

"You need to talk to him." Charlie repeated, to which Cal just nodded.

The next day and Cal was back on shift, he hadn't gone home till late and then hadn't really slept at all that night so by the time his and his brother's shifts begun he was exhausted both physically and emotionally.

"Rough night Cal?" Robyn asked as she eyed up the older doctor noticing his tired look.

"Well he didn't get in till about 2am so I wouldn't be surprised that he looks a little green around the gills." Ethan told her smugly as he shut his locker. "Think you'd learn to sleep at least before midnight when you're working the next day."

Cal rolled his eyes and put his stethoscope around his neck as Ethan and Robyn both left leaving Cal alone. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"They think you're hungover." Charlie spoke causing Cal to jump.

"Bloody hell Charlie…" Cal looked at him. "It's better that way."

"You need to tell him the truth." He spoke wisely.

"The truth…" Cal rubbed his hand over his face. "It's not easy.

"No. But in the end lying will cause more pain for both of you." Charlie reminded him.

The shift was going well, after numerous coffees Cal felt like he could just about scrape by till the end of the shift and his patient's hadn't been too bad. It was allowing him a brief relief from the anxious feeling that had plagued him for weeks now. That was inevitably always going to be short lived.

"Cal." Charlie beckoned the doctor from the nurse's station to cubicles. "Your mother is here. Cubical 4…"

"You are kidding me…" Cal looked at him in shock before turning and going into the cubicle pulling the curtains around.

"What are you doing here!?" He spoke in an angry whisper.

"The breathlessness is getting worse." Mark spoke.

"You could have gone to st James'." Cal told them.

"Wanted…to…meet…Ethan…" His Mum gasped.

"No… no you can't do this. I will get you transferred." Cal spoke and left the cubicle to be faced with Charlie.

"Ethan can't find out like this Charlie. I need to transfer her." HE told him.

"Cal… she isn't well enough. Her O2 stats are only 75-80% that's with 100% oxygen. She is on the verge of a respiratory arrest and has a DNR in place." Charlie told him.

When Cal thought about it he knew he was right, his Mum was dying and she wanted to meet her youngest son before she went. He couldn't deny her that, no matter how difficult it would be. He knew non of this was her fault, if he was advising a patient in his position he knew that he would recommend she got what she was wanting. He did love her, in a strange way and hated her at the same time. All he wanted was to meet his birth family and get the know them. Be part of an actual family, a fresh start. That silver lining had now gone.

"I'll tell him, I need to find him first." Cal spoke. "I won't be long."

He then went in search of his younger brother, he could see him heading into the empty staffroom. Perfect he thought but an emergency was wheeled through the double doors and Iain had already begun reeling information off at him so he had no choice but the go along into resus.

After what felt like an eternity Cal finally escaped the grasps of resus and ran to reception.

"Noel! Where is Ethan!?" He asked.

"Cubical 5, the patient needed assistance." Noel told him.

"For god sake..." Cal muttered and rushed to the cubicle and pulled the curtain open to reveal his Mum laying there with Charlie holding the bag squeezing it every few seconds.

Charlie and Ethan both looked at him. Ethan looked shocked and Charlie knew things were not looking good.

"What's going on?" Cal asked nervously.

"Her resp rate dropped she needed some help that's all." Charlie told him as he began to come round.

Her eyes flickered open slightly as she took in the blurred faces of her two sons.

"Ethan…" She whispered. "I'm…sorry…son…"

"I think she's confused." Ethan spoke.

"No. She isn't. Why haven't you told him?" Mark asked Cal. "Let a dying woman have closure on one of the biggest regrets of her life!"

Ethan looked at Cal. "What is going on Cal?"

"They're um… there are parents." Cal told him.

"What?" Ethan looked confused.

"We're adopted Ethan." Cal explained.

"Why don't you boys go and talk somewhere quiet? I will tidy up here." Charlie suggested.

"So our Mum…" Ethan started

"Wasn't your birth mother." Mark informed him.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ethan spoke as he stormed off towards the staffroom swiftly followed by his brother.

"Are you alright?" Cal asked as they got there and ethan stood with his back to the lockers.

"You should have told me! How long have you known!?" he asked angrily.

"Since the paternity results… only found you that you were in the same boat yesterday though. I didn't want to hurt you Ethan." Cal explained.

"Oh what so you were protecting me is that it?" Ethan asked.

"Yes." Cal told him.

"It's about you Cal." He pointed at him. "It's always about you."

"Oh give it a rest. I didn't even know you had anything to do with it until yesterday!" He snapped.

Ethan couldn't help it he lunged forward and grabbed his brother trying to battle him to the ground. Cal held him off as best he could.

"Just stop it." He spoke through clenched teeth as he tried to stop him. Just as Ethan punched him in the stomach winding him causing his to launch a punch at his brother's face before they were wrestling each other again.

"Alright lads give up." Charlie spoke as he rushed in to try and break them up. Max who heard the commotion also rushed in and pulled Ethan away as Charlie got between then guiding Cal away to the other side of the room.

"Sit down." Charlie told him as he was wheezing to catch his breath.

Max held onto Ethan who had calmed down but looked as though he could break down at any moment and had blood coming from his lip.

"Alright Ethan, come on." Charlie spoke to the younger doctor and guided him over to the sofa too.

"You going to be alright? Do you need anything?" Max asked.

"No thank you Max, just keep people out of here for a little while if you could." Charlie smiled gratefully as Ethan sat down and Max left closing the door behind him.

He then went to grab some swabs from the cupboard before coming back and giving them to Ethan to hold on his bleeding lip.

"You alright Cal?" Charlie asked watching as his breathing returned to normal.

Cal nodded slowly and looked over at his brother. "Ethan… I honestly thought I was doing the right thing…"

Ethan nodded. "I know but…all my life. Mum, she lied…" His voice cracked as he spoke.

"Neither of you know the full story, you probably never will but you still have each other alright? You're both brothers, by blood. You've already lost one set of parents. Now you have a second and your Mother is going to die, very soon. Maybe you should make the most of a bad situation right now and work out the technicalities later." Charlie suggested as wise as ever. "She had been moved into the high dependency cubical. She hasn't long left now…"

"We will go and sit with her." Ethan told him. "Together."

Cal also nodded and without a word to each other they both headed into HDC and sat with their new found mother. She was unconscious by this point and was unable to communicate but Ethan still held her hand and looked into her eyes. Instantly feeling comfortable.

"We're both here… we forgive you." He smiled. "You rest now…"

Sylvia gave his hand a small squeeze before letting her eyes close slowly. Her breathing began to fade until it finally stopped.

Ethan slipped his hand away and lay hers gently down by her side and looked at Cal who stood staring at her, tears rolling freely down his cheeks. Ethan got up and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry…" Cal spoke. "If…if I'd have moved quicker we would have had more time, gotten more answers."

"It doesn't matter Cal. It's done now." Ethan told him before reaching up and wrapping his arms around him.

After few seconds Cal relaxed and let his arm wrap around him too.

"We'll be fine, we'll get through this. Like we do everything else." Ethan told him. "You did well."

 **Well a weird end I know and I think there is opportunity to continue this but not so sure I will have time to nor have very many ideas. Let me know hat you guys think and any suggestions are appreciated and I will try to fit as many of your suggestions in as possible :) J x**


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